London Travel Guide
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London Travel Guide Overview
'ello, mate! Our London Travel Guide has got a plethora of information for travelers like yourself. We think you ought to give it a go.
London has long been one of the world's great cities, and remains an epicenter for culture and tourism as well as business and trade. It's a big city with a large population and land area, but the main points of interest are easily navigable thanks to a top-notch public transport system.
What to do
For a bird's eye view of this amazing city, a ride on the London Eye can be a good way to start. It's the world's largest observation wheel, and it's not cheap - but the ride is a half-hour long. On a clear day, it's a great spot for photographs.
Historically speaking, London has it all. There has been a city on the same site since long before Roman times, and it's been the English royal capital for more than 900 years. Many of the city's attractions are part of that royal legacy, including Buckingham Palace (the primary residence of the royal family), the Tower of London (London's original royal fortress) and Westminster Abbey (the site of royal coronations since 1066, as well as many famous tombs).
London also boasts a fine collection of museums and art galleries, including the immense British Museum, which has amazing artefacts from all over the world. The National Gallery and Tate Galleries are some of the more famous art collections in the city. If you're interested in time, you can visit the home of the Prime Meridian at the National Maritime Museum and Royal Observatory Greenwich. For a slightly gory (and very kitschy) look at the bloodier episodes in London's past, look no further than the London Dungeon.
Don't be fooled by London's historic significance or its position in the business world - this is a city that knows how to have fun. Londoners love to take advantage of a nice day to hang out in one of the many city parks, from Hyde Park to Kensington Gardens, to Regents Park. By night, there's no shortage of theatre events to take in (and you can find discounted tickets available for same-day shows at the TKTS booths).
Even if you're not a theatre lover, seeing a play in London could be a great way to get up close and personal (relatively speaking) with any number of movie stars who take breaks between films to work on the London stage.
If you're more of a shop-til-you-drop traveler, London will keep you plenty busy. There are some incredibly famous department stores in London which are as much tourist attractions as they are shops. And when you've had your fill of culture and art, there are plenty of bars, pubs and clubs where you can dance the night away! London has something for everyone, and as Samuel Johnson said, 'When one is tired of London, one is tired of life.'
Certainly London can make you feel cultured and worldly - but it can also make you feel overwhelmed and lost. To avoid getting bogged down by London, it's best to know what you're getting into before you arrive.
Getting Around in London
As mentioned, London's public transportation system is excellent. The London Underground, also known as "The Tube," will get you nearly everywhere you want to go in the city, and quickly. Once you figure out how the system works, it's a breeze to use. It can be a little more expensive, but there are discount cards available. London's legendary red double-decker buses are another means of getting from point to point, and are often quicker for short trips. If you're interested in a bit of a tour while you're en route, many of the cabbies in London's famous black cabs are more knowledgeable about the city than some tour guides!
Getting there
You can book a flight into London's Heathrow Airport (code: LHR), but depending on where you are coming from you might find lower airfare into Gatwick or Stansted airports. On most search engines you can use the code LON to check them all at once, but Heathrow is by far the largest and busiest and usually has the lowest airfares to London from overseas.
Where to stay
In terms of where to stay in London, it's a massive city so it's impossible to say what neighborhood would be best suited to you - the good news is that no matter how far out you're sleeping, if you're near a Tube station you're never more than a few minutes from all the sights. Browse our London hostels and London hotels to get the best deal on a bed. And if you are in need of a hotel near one of London's many airports, you are in luck with this ultimate guide to London airport hotels.